From The Dark
by AssortedScribbler
Summary: Will tonight finally be the moment they both breach that line? S3 Reddie. Eventual smut - but first 3/4 is safe!


**Disclaimer:** Still don't own WR or any of it's characters.

**A/N:** Sometimes weather can be very inspirational – and this is one of those times. We had a pretty much constant storm a little while ago and the atmosphere was so incredible it led to this. Ground rules: The fire never happened. Hordley did tell everyone about Rachel, but he didn't go around the back of the school for a smoke, and didn't set fire to the gas, and Candice didn't leave the stupid hose off the gas canister. And as far as we know, Rachel and Eddie are still on for that drink after work. Here's what I think would have happened had the fire not been brought into play. Credit to Sunshine for being the most wonderful beta-reader!

**Soundtrack:** Celine Dion - I Surrender (Especially for the last scene)

**Summary:** Will tonight finally be the moment they both breach that line? S3 Reddie.

**From The Dark**

Rachel stood by her window, gazing out at the hordes of pupils filing out of the school doors and spreading out like a wave over the grit and tarmac, all excited and bubbling, looking forward to their holiday, the chance to spend time with friends and ignore school work. She wondered how many of them bore the name "Miss Mason" on their lips, how many would still be discussing that sordid piece of news for days, weeks to come. Hordley had done what he'd come to do – he'd reduced her reputation to splinters. But he hadn't broken her. No one could do that. She was stronger than that.

She had told the examinations officer that this was still her school, and looking out at her pupils now, remembering the applause that had made her smile even when she felt like crumbling, she knew she could not leave without a fight. If the LEA wanted to remove her, then that was their problem – she would not abandon this school. She had so much she still wanted to achieve, so many more wrongs she wanted to make right. If she left now, without fighting, it would seem that she was running away and that was not something she was prepared to say Stuart Hordley had driven her to. Eddie had been right, she was needed here.

Drawn from her thoughts, Rachel heard her door open and close, but didn't need to turn around to know who it was that had admitted themselves into her office. Only Eddie had that right. She composed herself, realising her eyes were prickling slightly, before turning to look at her Deputy, her arms still cradling her torso but knowing she didn't need to pretend quite so much around him. They stood, just looking at each other, both half smiling, acknowledging how far they had both come since they'd shared this space this morning, before Eddie's eyes wandered to her desk and took in the way her things were once again in their rightful places.

"You changed your mind then?" He gathered, his smile growing and she nodded, turning back around to watch the last few kids hurry away from the building, towards their homes and their families, and leaving their most pressing problems behind them. She waited for Eddie to come and stand beside her, knowing he would.

"I can't leave yet, Eddie. I can't leave what I've started." She told him, softly, keeping her gaze on the grey, empty playground before them. She saw him turn to her out of the corner of her eye and try to muster up a grin.

"I know a lot of people who will be glad to hear it." He said warmly, and she flicked him a smile before turning away, satisfied all the kids were gone and heading back to her desk, contemplating what she could possibly do tonight that might have a chance of taking her mind off today. Then she remembered where she was supposed to be going and looked up at Eddie, ready to make her excuses.

"Eddie, about tonight-" She began, raising her eyes to his and was surprised by the empathy that swamped his wonderful chocolate pools.

"I figured you wouldn't fancy going out. But I have an alternative: Come around to mine for dinner." She paused, registering the offer and incredibly touched he had made it, before her expression clouded and he carried on hurriedly, "It'd be a way for me to apologise. If it hadn't been for me, he would never have turned up today."

"Eddie, it would have come out eventually, you told me that, it just happened a lot sooner than I expected-"

"Yeah, but I gave him the push, didn't I?" Rachel shook her head, trying to conjure up a reassuring smile but the effort was too much as memories of the sea of shocked faces swam in front of her eyes, clouded by her devastation that she'd just lost virtually everything she'd worked for over the past few months. "Please Rachel, let me do this. I – I hate the thought of you being on your own tonight." He admitted, looking down at his feet, one shoe scuffing the carpet beneath him lightly, uncomfortable sharing that much but knowing that unless he did, there was very little chance of her agreeing.

Rachel swept her gaze up and down her Deputy's figure, undeniably tempted by his offer and touched by his concern for her. Tonight would have been a wonderful chance for them, to see what they could be away from the school environment. And Rachel realised that they still had that chance – Eddie had just given it back to her, in his sweet and unassuming way. She was not about to give Stuart Hordley the opportunity to take something else away from her.

"Alright. I'll come. What time?" She asked, her lips quirking upwards into the first real smile since the revelation. She watched as Eddie's eyes brightened and his posture straightened back up, and he directed a happy smile straight into her eyes.

"Why don't you come straight around?" Rachel gently lifted an eyebrow, wondering if he realised how forward that sounded and a second later, he ducked his head, suddenly a little shy. "Well, only if you want to, I just..."

"That'd be great. Just let me get these things together." She accepted, and he nodded, the awkwardness melting away as she soothed him and gathered up her files, slipping them inside her bag and gathering up various articles from her desk as well. She could feel him watching her, and wondered if he even realised he hadn't taken his eyes off of her since coming into the room. Once she had everything she needed, she swung the bag onto her shoulder and did one last sweep of the room with her eyes, before nodding at her companion.

Eddie opened the door for them, and she followed him out before ducking back to lock her office up and leading the way out of the school. If she had been leaving by herself, she knew she would have been contemplating what these corridors would present her with when all the pupils returned to them, would probably be doubting her decision to stay, would only be concerned with the whisperings and glares her mind provided so easily as a result of what had happened today. But Eddie's presence to the side of her, just behind her, kept her thoughts firmly on this evening and not any further ahead in time.

They didn't need to make conversation as they strode together through the corridors and out of the main entrance, towards their cars, both merely enjoying being so close to one another without having to worry about how that closeness might be interpreted. Both were considering what might happen tonight with fearsome intensity, consumed by possibilities, both wishing they could see the other's thoughts and expectations. They said a brief goodbye, and exchanged an agreement to meet at Eddie's house as soon as they could get there, before parting to get into their separate vehicles.

Eddie pulled out of the school gates first, turning to head home, secretly grinning with the knowledge that Rachel would be following. He was over the moon she had accepted his offer of dinner – he wanted to take care of her tonight, wanted to be sure she was not allowed to dwell on her demons. He also felt genuinely guilty for the consequences of his actions, and wanted desperately to try and ease some of the hurt he knew Stuart, and so him, had caused.

Tonight would have always been about them – finding the edge to her boundaries, seeing how far she would be willing to explore, finally testing the water of what he knew could be a wonderful relationship, one that had been developing since they'd met that first day. He knew he was going to have to be careful tonight, he wanted to show her that he was there for her, that he supported her but didn't want to seem like he was mollycoddling her because she was strong and he knew it. Eddie wanted to demonstrate how much he knew about her, in a hope that it would show her how much he cared. But he was sure of one thing above all: He was not going to push her. He was going to be the friend she needed, and lend her strength if there was any sign to suggest she would accept it.

Eddie would be content with tonight, no matter the outcome – getting her to agree to come was an achievement in itself. However they finished this evening, as long as their relationship remained intact, romantic or platonic, he would be happy. He cared about her so much, today had been so difficult for precisely that reason, and all he craved was an opportunity to prove those feelings. He hoped it might be the very thing she needed to help her through.

Rachel was torn as she drove to Eddie's. Part of her was pressing her to turn around and head for her own home, to hide and protect herself from the one person who might be able to tell how much today had hurt. But the stronger part of her, the part she was proud of, was urging her to drive faster. She knew she could trust Eddie, that much she was sure of. She was also very grateful that he had offered to take care of her, in a sense, because she was pretty much convinced that if it had been left up to her, she would not have eaten and most likely, would not have slept tonight. Eddie provided the comfort she knew she needed without even realising it, by just being someone who trusted her, respected her, assuring her that she was worth the position she held.

But that was not what concerned her. Smiling, she thought about his offer this morning, his bashfulness, which she had found so adorable. She had known what his intentions had been this morning, as much as he had dodged her questions and tried to make it sound innocent, she had known he was hoping they would finally become something a little closer. What worried her now was she didn't know what he expected. Her knowledge of him said he most likely would not expect anything – he was a good man, he just wanted to help, but... secretly... part of her wanted them to take that next step.

Part of her needed to be held, to entrust her safety to someone else and let them give her strength, let them hold her together. And she knew there was no one she could ask to do that, or would like to ask, except Eddie. She was attracted to him, had always known that, but she was quickly realising she trusted him far more than she had known she was previously capable of trusting another living person. She cared about him. She... wanted to be with him.

They were both about ten minutes away from Eddie's house when the first low rumble of thunder reached them. Simultaneously, they both checked the sky and realised the clouds were gathering in an ominous dark grey, bringing with it a close, tense atmosphere that made a low buzz of excitement begin to tingle down both their spines. Rachel had always enjoyed storms, and there was definitely a wonderfully large one brewing. It didn't come as a surprise when a few seconds later, a heavy smattering of ring thudded onto their windscreens and clouded their vision. The pressure began to increase, and the thunder sounded again, deep and thrilling, as they sped up slightly in an effort to get to their destination a little more quickly.

Sooner than both of them expected, they were drawing up their cars on a verge near Eddie's house, the rain pounding ever heavier on their car roofs and a sudden flash of lightening providing, momentarily, enough illumination to see each other's cars before the darkness from the clouds above once more engulfed them. Biting lightly on her bottom lip, Rachel gathered her bag onto her shoulder and readied herself for the sprint to Eddie's doorway, secretly or not so secretly excited at the thought of such a mad dash in the heavy rain. She took a very deep breath, then flung open the door and pushed herself out, into the heavy air and warm rain.

Struggling quickly with her keys, she locked the car and sprinted towards Eddie's front door, vaguely aware of another figure moving in the same direction and in the back of her mind, knowing it was Eddie. Laughter burst from her as she felt her clothes succumb to the rain, her skin feeling the wet seep through, stealing her warmth even as she neared her destination in a matter of seconds. Her hair was plastered against her head and her neck, the curls she'd gone to such length to put in this morning completely washed away. It only made her laugh a little more as she nearly tripped over the edge of his lawn – she did not mourn the loss her appropriate side, at least not right now.

Just as she was about a foot away from his front step, the man himself appeared by her side, as dripping wet as she was, and grinning just as she was. Bumping slightly against his shoulder, they made their way up to his door and he fumbled slightly while trying to jam the key in the lock to let them in. Rachel stepped back and looked up, letting a few more droplets splash across her face until she heard the click of the lock and quickly moved after Eddie, barrelling into the slightly less atmospheric dark of his hallway.

Once Eddie had closed the door and they could finally turn to look at one another, laughter again bubbled up from inside both of them – bloody hell, they looked a state! Rachel took in the way his hair was dripping into his eyes, and his jacket was now three shades darker than it had been before they left, and his skin was shining with the water, and she felt a surge of want from deep in her stomach as she looked into his warm eyes, brimming with mirth as he also looked her over.

"I haven't been this sopping wet in years." He laughed, brushing a hand up and slicking his hair back from his forehead in a way that was not at all flattering, but Rachel couldn't bring herself to mind at all.

"Not since I was a kid." She agreed, finally looking down at herself and holding out her arms to the side of her, taking in the way her coat was running water from it onto his carpet, and there were drips of water finding their way down her back, the cool a delicious contrast to the heat of her skin.

"Come on, let's put your coat on the radiator. I'm not having you accuse me of letting you catch cold." He teased, dropping his own bag by the door and shucking off his jacket, hanging it over his arm before moving towards her. Smiling, still amused by the way his shirt was sticking to his figure in a way she definitely should not be taking so much notice of, she turned around and undid the belt around her waist, letting him gently slide the heavy material from her shoulders and take it over to the radiator further down the hall.

The loss of the garment, despite it's wet state, was felt immediately, and Rachel could not help letting her bag drop to sit by his, and wrapping her own arms around herself, feeling the beginning of shivers start in her upper arms. She rubbed her skin vigorously, trying to warm it up, but her wet clothes weren't doing her any favours and she was surprised that Eddie hadn't succumbed to the shakes either. He carefully laid her coat across the radiator, before turning back to her, and a thought seemed to strike him as he caught sight of her protective stance. Looking a little pensive, he paused, his gaze finding hers, before striding forward and ducking behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders and guiding her towards the stairs.

"Eddie, what are you doing?" Rachel queried, her laughter echoing in her words, and he didn't answer for a minute, just ushered her further up the stairs. She didn't panic – she knew Eddie, there had to be some explanation for this, and not the one her mind had formed for her. Gently, they ascended the last of the steps and came out on his landing, her head flicking around her as she tried to work out what was going on. A few more steps, and he brought her to a stop by one of the mysterious doorways, beyond which she had not any idea of what lay there.

"There are clean towels in the airing cupboard for you to dry off." He finally spoke, with a smile and Rachel turned around, her expression surprised but just a little touched as well.

"Eddie, I'm fine, I'll dry off, you need to-"

"It's fine, I've got my towels on the radiator in my room. You could even take a shower to warm up, if you felt like it. You need it, I think." He smiled, and she chuckled, knowing his hands on her shoulders had most likely detected the shiver still juddering her muscles, despite her attempts to suppress it.

"We'll see. And thank you, Eddie." The warmth in her voice spoke of more gratitude than her words, and he merely tipped his head slightly in reply, a little bashful at the compliment before he made shooing motions with his hands towards the bathroom, and moved past her to go into his own bedroom. Rachel smiled to herself at his thoughtfulness before doing as he had said and entering the room beside her. The room was mostly white, with a fluffy looking mat on the tiled floor by the bath, and a sense of cleanliness to the whole space that made Rachel smile – she would never have guessed Eddie would be a tidy person.

Closing the door behind her, she considered pushing the lock across but somehow felt comfortable enough not to – this was Eddie's house, she trusted him not to barge in. Then she directed her attention to the airing cupboard next to her, opening the cupboard doors at her head height first, looking for the towels he had mentioned. Finding some dark blue ones folded quite neatly on the top of the pile, she gently extracted them and unfolded one to try and towel dry her hair, before her eyes caught on the large, forest green towels hanging on the radiator. Ones Eddie had used, she would guess.

For a second, Rachel considered reaching out towards them, drawn irresistibly towards touching them, the idea of having a surface that caressed his skin sliding between her fingers too delectable to contemplate for long. But her sense caught her at the last second. Eddie had been kind enough to let her use his bathroom, his clean towels, she would not disrespect that kindness by overstepping a boundary so soon. Shaking her head, she flicked her hair over one shoulder so she could rub it between both hands, trying to get the worst of the wet out of it.

Even as she began the action, her muscles once again adopted the familiar pattern of shivers, and she realised she was getting colder by the second. The longer she stayed in these wet clothes, the colder she would get. Logic overcoming her inhibitions, she decided to accept Eddie's other offer as well, and began to undress, peeling off the soaked clothing, suddenly realising Eddie could have memorised every contour of her body if he had so chosen while she was wearing them. Part of her liked the idea that he might have looked, appreciated, but the softer side knew he wouldn't have done, and if he had, he would have been ashamed to admit it afterwards.

Laying her clothes out over the sink, she quickly ducked into the shower and turned on the spray, adjusting the temperature to as high as it could be without scalding her before gratefully stepping under the hot waterfall. A low sigh escaped her as the thrumming of the water instantly returned the heat she had been missing, and she turned around a few times to make sure her entire body was properly warmed up, letting the heat melt away any worries she still carried in her tense muscles.

Then, quite suddenly, a knock on the bathroom door cut through her private moment of divinity and she froze, before a soft voice called through the wooden door, sounding a little sheepish.

"Rach?"

"Yeah?" She called back, smiling at the embarrassment her Deputy would no doubt be enduring as he hovered outside the door.

"Would you mind if I just, well, popped in a sec to get your clothes? I'll find somewhere for them to dry off." Rachel immediately spotted a problem with that request and tried to communicate it to Eddie in a way that would not make him uneasy.

"Eddie, if you're going to take my clothes, what will I-"

"I'm going to leave my dressing gown on the back of the door." He'd already thought of that. Of course he had. She smiled, the water soothing away her cares, and she decided she felt she could tease him a little.

"Alright. But make sure you keep your eyes shut!" Her voice clearly carried her amusement to the man outside, and she imagined him shifting uncomfortably before swallowing a little.

"I won't peek." He called back, a hint of laughter to his voice as well, and she heard the handle of the door click downwards as he entered. Unwillingly, Rachel bit her lip to keep from imagining what might happen if she were to test whether his eyes were actually shut, and tried to keep her laboured breathing as quiet as possible while he was in the room. She heard him knock slightly against the side of the sink and heard him curse faintly, enough to confirm he did indeed have his eyes closed, and she felt a swell of affection that he had kept to his word. The frosted glass between them would have hidden her figure anyway, but she was grateful for his effort.

Unbidden, Rachel felt an unexpected urge rise within her to step away from the spray, to grip her courage by the throat and step out of the shower, go over to him, undress him and pull him in to join her, not simply because she knew she wanted it, but because he did as well. She felt her breath hitch at the thought, and had to dig her nails determinedly into her palms to curb the action from being fulfilled, focussing her eyes and attention on a corner of a tile, rather than the heat spiralling upwards inside her body.

.~*~. .~*~. .~*~. .~*~.

Eddie felt his way to the sink, and gratefully grasped garments he assumed were her clothes before reached out to the side of him and finding the hook on the door over which he could hang his dressing gown. He felt a bit foolish, making his way around his own bathroom with his eyes closed, but this was for Rachel and he didn't mind, not really. Finally locating the hook, he slid the loop at the neck of his favourite dressing gown over it and quickly grabbed Rachel's clothes, not wanting to linger any longer than he had already. Eddie grazed his knuckles on the door frame again as he left, and swore under his breath before finally shutting the door behind him and slumping against it.

Oh he was in trouble. Eddie could feel twinges running up and down his body, the mere thought of her being in the room behind him, relaxed, in his shower filling his mind with images he felt awful conjuring, but the damage already being done. He took a deep breath, and her scent immediately attacked him, swirling from the shower, the heat making the familiar combination of fruits and spice even more potent than usual. He looked down and realised her scent was also leeching from the clothes he was holding and silently wished he had not offered to warm them for her – all he would be able to smell in the entire house would be her, and his self control was already somewhat tenuous.

Shoving himself away from the door, he headed downstairs, forcefully turning his mind towards dinner and the curry he'd already planned to adapt for her. Luckily, it was not a spicy one, he knew she hated hot food, although from the amount of steam that had condensed on his skin, he could not say the same for her showers. Sternly, he broke that thought off and concentrated on cooking – chicken, sauce, rice, and he was grateful when his mind drew up the relevant numbers he needed rather than... other more pleasant trains of thought...

He had been planning to make a double portion of the curry tonight, and then have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow – he loved having a hot lunch on the weekend, but it was a treat he was quite happily choosing to forego tonight. Concentrating on the maths of cooking, not the sound of the shower upstairs, he went through the process of cooking the meat, heating the source and he was thanking the Technology Effigy for whoever invented microwavable rice when he heard the sound of the water being switched off. Abruptly, he once again had to drag his mind back downstairs, to the task at hand, and even with that effort, one ear remained constantly on what he could hear from the bathroom.

In the back of his mind, he wondered whether she was taking a while or that it was just him being unused to knowing how long a woman took once she exited the shower. Finally, all the pieces of their meal were finished and he served up the rice, sauce and meat, which did look pretty good if he did say so himself. He was about to move to the bottom of the stairs and call up to say it was ready, when he heard the bathroom door open and soft footsteps begin to pad down his carpet. Trying to fight down the excitement of knowing she was coming, he put their respective plates on the table and went to the door to greet her.

At the sight of her, his mouth went dry.

She looked beautiful. Absolutely, elegantly, completely, entrancingly beautiful. There was a softness to her he had never seen before, her hair slightly waving from the wet, which in his opinion looked infinitely better than when she styled it, but that was just him. Of course, no makeup, the darkness of her eyes contrasting incredibly with the flush in her cheeks from the warmth of the shower. That inviting mouth slightly curling upwards, amusement and gentility enfolded in the curve. Her natural beauty that was always there now shone through - so simple yet so stunning. He had to remind himself to close his mouth.

Eddie's green dressing gown was also wrapped around her figure and by heaven, if only made his breath catch just a little more. The edge – of what, he had never been able to define, it could have been professionalism, it could have been sharpness, but whatever it was – had disappeared completely. What he would give to be that close to her right now, as his dressing gown was, that wrapped around her, that trusted by her. And he found it almost impossible to swallow the urge to go to her and kiss her with every bit of emotion he had bottled up inside him, that had been building for too long to bear. He longed to show her just how much she meant to him.

Rachel smiled at his stillness, pausing by the door, waiting for some sort of acknowledgement. He knew she would be able to smell the curry, and if she was anything like him, then it would have awoken her appetite. But still, she remained by the door, waiting, hoping that the silence now hanging between them was a good silence, and he shook himself back into reality. He blinked a few times before his face split into a beaming grin, telling her more eloquently than words ever could how amazing he thought she looked, evaporating any worries she had about him thinking she was taking advantage of his good nature.

A few seconds passed when they both just shared that open smile – the one that told each other how happy they were, how comfortable, before Eddie moved forward, no longer able to suppress the urge to touch her. Her eyes followed him, while her hands abruptly inserted themselves into the dressing gown's pockets – and he had to wonder whether that was a measure of her own control, in an effort not to reach for him. He scooped an arm behind her and drew her forward, into the kitchen and over to the kitchen table where her plate was sat, piled with rice and curry.

"I hope you like Madras." Eddie said quietly, and Rachel looked up as she took the seat he indicated. The right side of her mouth quirked upwards in a sweet smile, emotional and grateful, before she laid a light hand on his lower arm.

"I'm sure I'll love it. Thank you, Eddie." The soft tone in which the words were spoken seemed to Eddie to carry a meaning that was not quite clear, teasing the tiny sparks of hope at the edges of his mind, leading him to hope as he had scarcely allowed himself to hope before. Again, they both seemed to stay in one second for a moment, her hand holding him close to her, her eyes drawing him to her like a moth to a flame. It was almost a lost cause to try and deny that attraction. But then she slid her hand away, and turned to her meal, allowing him to take his seat opposite her, desperately trying to get his heart rate back under control.

Dinner passed by slowly, each tucking into their meal happily, both hungry despite the meal being served much earlier than they were used to. Eddie found himself wondering what the elusive Rachel Mason did with her spare time at home, whether she had a hobby she hadn't shared with anyone, whether she had a pet to go home to, to make a house Eddie knew from experience could feel quite empty more home like. Eddie wished he knew more about her, wished that getting to know her was not quite so difficult, but acknowledging at the same time that he was lucky – he knew more about her than many would ever know in their lifetime. Yet, he was still longing for more.

His musings on her background and her personality served their own purpose as well – he was desperately trying to distract himself from the way his dressing gown's neck was gaping slightly, not exposing anything but revealing a torturous amount of delectable looking skin around her shoulders that he had to concentrate not to imagine caressing with the tenderness and focus that he knew she deserved. There was also a teasing strand of hair hanging by the pulse point in her neck that he was itching to wind around his finger, before brushing it back and replacing it with his own light touch.

The room was still partially lit by the grey light from outside – Eddie had only put on the light by one of the cupboards to see what he was cooking, the rest of the room was half-covered with a layer of shadows. It wasn't a bad thing – the harsh electric light would only have detracted from the somewhat sizzling atmosphere between the two quiet people sat opposite each other at Eddie Lawson's kitchen table. It leant an air of mystery and exploration to what should have been such an ordinary situation. An air both people were succumbing to, slowly and not quite unwillingly.

Rachel watched Eddie's face as they ate, trying to work out what he was thinking, judging his reactions to her. He was thinking quite deeply about something, that much she could tell and the arrogant side of her wondered whether it was her, if her character could possibly warrant that in-depth train of thought. She wondered whether her state of undress might have something to do with his fiercely burning mind. He didn't seem ill at ease, which she took as a good sign, but there was an edge to his expression, something that told her he was sternly keeping his thoughts in one direction. She wanted to ask him, but felt she might be intruding. She also rather liked the comfort of their silence – that they were both easy enough around each other that they didn't need to make conversation.

He had changed as well, while she was otherwise occupied, and the black t-shirt he'd donned was just a little more fitted than Rachel was used to. It made the most of his broad shoulders and just barely defined the hint of muscle across his chest, thus stirring a slow burn of need in the pit of Rachel's stomach again. She couldn't decide whether that was a good thing or not. His hair was another point upon which she could not help but focus – there were odd flicks here and there she was dying to smooth out with her own fingertips, to lay a little more orderly upon his head. Rachel was grateful neither of them were making conversation – to hear his voice right now might just have been her undoing.

The curry was lovely, simple enough food to just enjoy without thinking too much about it, and she found she could actually eat without shifting the rice around her plate as she would have been want to do normally when she was distracted. There was so much hanging in the air around them, so much Rachel wanted to say, but sensed somehow that now was not the time. They both needed to eat, to adjust so each other's presence in such an informal situation, before she could bare her feelings and finish expressing the gratitude she'd half made clear earlier.

It felt like a while before they both finished their meal, barely a few words spoken between them the entire time, and Rachel gratefully surrendered her plate to him as he cleared the table, loving the way he was instinctively taking problems away from her. In fact, he had distracted her so completely, she hadn't considered what had happened at school since leaving the building this afternoon. She remained by the kitchen table, in her seat, as he piled up their plates on the side and opened the dishwasher.

Normally, Rachel would have insisted he let her do that, considering how much he had already done for her, but when she went to get up and help, he shot her a look and motioned with his hand for her to stay seated. The message was clear – he wanted her to relax, to let him look after her tonight. And Rachel realised she was, for once, willing to let him do just that. She sat contentedly in the wooden chair, waiting for him to finish, her eyes lingering over his body in a manner she hoped was subtle but had a feeling he might notice. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to stop.

A few minutes later, he finally straightened and looked over, finding her eyes and smiling, before shutting the dishwasher and pressing a few buttons. She rose and waited for him to direct her, wondering now they had eaten dinner what else the evening had been planned to have in store. Smiling to herself, Rachel realised Eddie probably hadn't planned this any further, he would be improvising from here on in, and it gave her the perfect opportunity to show him how happy she was he had made this offer in the first place, as a way of putting him at ease. And there was still that unanswered burning deep within her she knew she was going to have to address sooner or later...

"Right, well, I'll go and check if your clothes are dry." Eddie finally spoke, the sound of a voice almost strange when the evening so far had taken place with so little speech. Rachel bit her lip, not really caring whether her clothes were dry or not – she wanted to stay in Eddie's dressing gown, the soft, comfy material and his musky scent doing more for her calm than she would ever admit. Just as the thought of his towels earlier had enticed her, so too did this gown. But that was hardly something she could admit out loud.

She didn't reply, and he assumed she wasn't about to make one, so moved towards the door. He'd barely gone a few steps before she moved towards him and placed a light hand on his arm, making him pause. The contact buzzed across both of them, like an electric shock, and Eddie almost drew away in surprise, just like the natural reaction to certain electrical current being introduced into his system. For a moment, both of them looked down at her hand on his sleeve, then he sensed her head tip up and he could hardly stop himself from meeting that gaze.

"Leave them a little bit longer." Rachel spoke softly, her eyes glowing in the low lighting. Eddie tried to disguise the slightly hitch in his breathing as he interpreted her words. She wanted to draw out this evening as much as possible, just like he did.

She was happy to remain for as long as he would let her, and was asking in her own way, for them to continue being close to each other. A little surprised, but more overwhelmingly pleased than anything, he nodded, his whole expression lighting up as he gave up on his previous destination and turned to her.

Rachel seemed so small, without her heels, he knew she wasn't anywhere near as tall as him, but he'd never really noticed that if he were to pull her forward, her head would fit perfectly underneath his chin. A perfect fit. It described them exactly. He could not help but wonder how far that metaphor might extend... Determinedly not getting distracted by that playfully enticing sliver of thought, Eddie smiled and reached out to gently lay a hand on her arm, telling her that he was glad she'd spoken, before nodding towards his living room door and she turned to follow his direction, him barely a step behind her.

Making a decision to maintain their close proximity, if he followed her lead, she went over and took up residence at one end of his sofa, drawing up her legs beneath her and curling into the embrace of the chair, being careful to ensure the dressing gown was not gaping but not tight around her figure either. She wanted to see his reaction. Eddie enfolded himself into the other end, not much space between them but just enough to continue the illusion that this was still a friendly evening, and nothing more. Illusion because both of them were rapidly becoming aware it was anything but.

Eddie leant forward and scooped up the TV remote from the coffee table, flicking on the device and beginning to search through the channels for something to watch that might interest them both. Rachel's mind was only half on the images before her, the majority of her thoughts completely enveloped by Eddie's presence, and the implications of the revelation her mind was hurrying towards. The noise of the TV was low, and from the way he was flicking through things without giving them a second glance, she would guess he wasn't really concentrating on the TV either.

The rain outside was probably pounding, but inside the house, the weather was only betrayed by a soft pattering sound, especially from the windows. The constant little rhythm threaded into their minds, replicating an exciting, racing drumbeat that made both their hearts race a little faster than they had been already. The distance between them fizzled with chemistry, unspoken but nonetheless very much _there._ There hadn't been any lightening since Rachel had emerged from the shower, no thunder that they had heard, though admittedly both of them would own that their focus had been on a rather more appealing subject than the summer storm.

Rachel nibbled on her lower lip, trying to come to some sort of conclusion to what was going to happen. Was tonight really the right time for them to cross that border? Was she ready? There was no denying she wanted him, the thrumming of the rain was mimicking a thrumming from deep inside her, that had started when he'd entered his bathroom earlier and was only building as she caught his eyes straying over towards her.

She trusted him enough to hold her, comfort her, to take her mind away from the event of today, to do what came naturally to both of them when around each other – that was more than she had allowed with anyone for an awfully long time. She knew they had the capacity to make each other feel incredible, each movement from him telling her he felt what was in the air just as much as she did. But today had been such a mess, such a confusion of emotions, that she couldn't help but doubt her own judgement – was this the right thing to do?

Her thoughts began chasing themselves around her mind, resolution never seeming further away than it did just then. And eventually, she realised she did not have the answer. In fact, there was only really one way to tell whether letting him in would be a good idea, and that was to try. Her body begged for it, and at last her mind surrendered, taking away the uncertainty her thoughts had clung to, and as such, the only means of denying her need for the man beside her.

"Eddie-"

"Rachel-" They both stopped, and chuckled before their eyes met and Eddie motioned towards her. "You go first." He said, quietly, and she smiled. Why did he always do that? He always put her first. Considered her above so many others. And she adored him for it.

"Thank you, for tonight. You were right - I wouldn't have wanted to be on my own." The admittance was low, practically muttered, her eyes slipping from his to fall on the edge of the sofa. Yet, she did not feel embarrassed or ashamed confessing such a thing to him, as she might have expected to had it been anyone else. It was a testament to how far he'd gotten inside her walls already.

"Did you just admit I was right, over you?" Eddie teased, tilting his head slightly and she laughed. Another sign – this time of he knew just how much the honesty had meant and wasn't about to embarrass her by pressing the issue, instead choosing to lighten the conversation with the banter they adopted so easily. It balanced out the instinct she'd relied on so far, her sense gradually beginning to agree with the buzz deep inside.

"Yes, I did. Just this once." She added, a teasing stern look flicking his way. The amusement faded as she saw his smile change, into something she wasn't sure how to interpret, and she tried not to frown.

"You're welcome. Doesn't stop me feeling guilty though." He admitted, and her expression cleared before she shook her head. Tonight was not supposed to be about the day, it was about them and what they were about to become to each other.

"Eddie, you don't need to." Her voice was full of warmth that she hoped would convince him, but she doubted it somehow. He was too much of a decent man.

"But I do." He repeated, finding her eyes, trying to convey his point that way because he knew words would not be enough. Smiling reassuringly, Rachel reached across and laid a gentle hand on his arm, knowing they both wanted the contact. And again, there was that flash between them, begging to be attended to.

"You don't need to." She said again, insisting, her smile soft and gentle, and he was drawn to her, his guilt subsiding slightly as he realised he'd helped tonight. She would not be assuring him quite so convincingly if she was still unsettled and upset, as she had been earlier. She had relaxed, recovered slightly, and Eddie took some comfort from that because he knew part of it was down to him. In the back of his mind, he should have realised what the curve of her lips meant as she hovering, barely a distance away from him. They were now quite close, resulting from Rachel having to lean across to touch him, and his eyes flickered over her face. She took a deep breath and said, barely above a whisper,

"Do you mind if I try something?" He shook his head, hardly breathing, wondering if she could possibly be contemplating doing what he so desperately wished for. She took one more deep breath, a final grasp at her courage, and leant even further to press a deep kiss to his lips. It was like a clash of everything in Rachel's mind that combined to create the most blazing white light. It was meaningful, it was blissful and it was passion enfolded in one movement. Eddie's lips beneath her own were soft, but responding slowly, and as she applied just a little more pressure, he pressed his mouth deeper against hers.

It barely took a second after that before he reached out for her and drew her closer, one hand delving into her still slightly wet hair, the touch incredibly soft but Rachel knew there was a hunger behind it, while the other found the curve of her hip, dragging her body onto his. She gladly shifted into him, security and almost resolved need swamping her as she entrusted all her emotions and confusion to her best friend, deepening their already intense and emotional kiss as the sound of the rain faded from their minds, leaving only each other.

Their bodies slid over each other, his hand guiding her closer even as she pushed into him, their mouths dancing across the others in a teasing but hungry movement. Their breathes had long since ceased be even, hitching and gasping into each other's mouths as they tried to come to terms with the overwhelming rush of emotion and want that overpowered them just then. Rachel felt her hands scrabble at his front, climbing his chest, tracing those muscles she'd tried so hard not to notice earlier, before gliding up into his hair, ruffling those random tufts the rain had left her to play with. She drew him closer, opening her mouth, begging him to enter and they were both lost to the deepening sea of saffron and midnight that blanketed their thoughts as his tongue slipped over her lips.

One of his hands, she felt, slip luxuriously upwards from her hip to her neck, finding her pulse and leaving a light fingertip over the sensitive point, and she almost giggled as she realised he was monitoring her heartbeat, enjoying the feeling of it racing underneath his touch, and she gently tipped her head away from his to find his eyes and share that amusement with him. He did not seem to welcome the loss of contact and immediately inclined his head back upwards, straining upwards for her kiss again.

She enjoyed the moment of watching him yearn, before darting her head to the side and pressing an open-mouthed kiss to the edge of his strong jaw, easing him back down onto the sofa, asking him to let her take this at her pace. He did not argue, merely buried his hand further into her hair and arched his head away, to give her more access. She muffled her smile in his neck and trailed her lips down the vein in his neck, before locating that point just above his shoulder blade that she wanted.

Withdrawing one of her hands from his hair, she drew his t-shirt's neck downwards slightly and applied her mouth to that pulse, sucking hard on it, letting the taste of his skin fill her mouth. She felt him tense underneath her, before he began to gasp and she withdrew again, leaning her head up to find his eyes. She barely recognised those warm, chocolate orbs – they were filled with the night sky, as black as she could have ever imagined them, and her own breathing hitched at the sight.

Eddie used the hand in her hair to pull her head down, a little less gently than he would have liked, no doubt, but Rachel didn't really mind, because the second their lips collided again, thought paused and she was groaning into his mouth, loving the contact but knowing it wasn't enough for either of them anymore. At last, that hand left her pulse point, assured perhaps that it was racing high enough, beginning it's journey down her body.

Pausing over her breast, he covered the swell in his warm hold and Rachel was forced to break their kiss again as she arched backwards, a half-sigh emitting from her lips. She sensed him smirk beneath her, before giving her a gentle squeeze and continuing downwards, to the tie at her waist. She looked down at him, her gaze practically on fire, begging him to do as he intended, even as his hand paused again at the knot she'd woven so carefully earlier.

He paused, just this once, to gather her assurance, that this was what she wanted as well as he, and she smiled, briefly bending back down to give him a swift kiss. By the time she had leant back up, the tie was undone, and his soft fingers had parted the folds of heavy material. With a hurry she welcomed, his hand met the side of her stomach, gliding around her back, before he untangled his other hand from her hair and followed the line of his dressing gown's collar, pulling it away from her body, exalting in the joyous exploration he could now partake in.

Rachel closed her eyes, concentrating on the brush of his fingertips down her upper body, before they found her breast again, and cupped her, making her arch into him with a deep moan. She was just beginning to lower her head back when both his hands raised and shoved the gown from her shoulders, down her arms before throwing it unceremoniously on the floor beside their sofa, her entire body suddenly exposed to the air around them, which was surprisingly not that cold.

Drawing on a force of will she found somewhere deep inside her, she drew her eyelids upwards and looked down at his avid gaze, revelling in the reverent way he traced patterns, lines, down her back and across her stomach, teasingly avoiding the areas he knew she needed him. Narrowing her eyes, she drew herself upwards and straddled him, smirking herself as evidence of his own want pressed against her inner thigh.

"You're overdressed, Eddie. And it's not often you can say that." She teased, before tantalisingly slowly trickling her fingers down to the bottom of his t-shirt and inching it upwards, ever so slowly, one hand swiping at the skin she revealed while the other continued to pull the material towards his head. Helpfully, he pushed himself further up from the coach, allowing her to pull the offending article of clothing over his head and drop it unconcernedly on top of the dressing gown.

She had expected she would be able to complete something similar with his jeans, but he had already pushed himself partly up and it seemed her lithe form hovering before him was too great a temptation to resist any longer. She was surprised, from the way he had not taken his eyes off of her, that he had lasted this long. Pushing his upper body upright, he wrapped an arm around her and drew her shoulder against his mouth, his tongue flicking out to taste the beginning of perspiration on her skin.

Rachel rolled her head back, flexing the muscles underneath his lips, and it appeared that was more teasing then he could take, as he growled, low and hard, against her, and turned them both over, laying her down on the sofa and beginning a breath-stealing assault on her neck, shoulders and front, even as her hands scrambled to locate his belt, zip and button, frantically feeling the need spiral in both of them. His butterfly kisses that were just a trifle dark made thinking hard, but she managed to open the front of his jeans, shoving them downwards, revealing him to her eager fingers.

She took an overwhelming pleasure from the way he forcibly buried his moan in the join between her shoulder and neck, as she touched him, teased him, through the material of his boxers. Long strokes that would wind him even tighter made him shudder against her, his control so obviously stretched, but before she could really begin her own assault, he lifted his own hands and, one supporting his weight, the other locating her nipple, drawing a blackening haze across her mind as he circled it with a fingertip.

She had to stop – she couldn't think when he did that. Helpless, she opened her eyes, pleading with him for either more or less, she couldn't decide, and he smiled, lowered his mouth to the same skin he'd been torturing and suckling, hard.

"Ah!" The noise left Rachel throat before she could stop it, and she felt the haze over her vision flood from black to the darkest red, pleasure overcoming every nerve signal. She felt, through the fog, Eddie smile around her, and she dimly wished for the thought capacity to pay him back, but he was already moving across to repeat the performance and she was thrown right back into a whirl of longing and desperate _need_ for him. Instinct taking over, she reached for his boxer's waistband, pulling it roughly down just enough to expose him, before sneaking the same hand behind his hips, urging him towards her.

Eddie resisted her movement, and abruptly, his form moved further away, his hands leaving her for his own waistband. Rachel barely managed to open her eyes, to figure out why, before she saw him shove his jeans and boxers further down, before leaning back over her, a quick shuffle ridding him of them completely. Scraping together the effort required, she raised her eyebrow in questioning, and he brushed a quick kiss to her lips, the moment hovering around them that they had both been yearning for.

"I want to feel all of you. Every single precious inch." He muttered into her ear, and she dimly registered that it was probably the most incredible thing she'd ever heard, before she sensed him angling himself and she now suddenly focussed on another, even more gratifying thought. He was about to finally complete it. He was about to move in. He was about to – Rachel's head rolled back onto the sofa arm as Eddie slid inside her, dragging along every single spot, as if he'd memorised them all from another time.

The tension within her, that had been building all night, all year, finally crept up that one more notch. She knew he felt it – the tightness of his limbs, the incredible fight portrayed in his expression not to push her too hard too fast, but she reached up and dragged a fingertip down his face, forcing him to look at her. With her eyes, she urged him, pleaded with him to please put them both out of their misery, and he nodded, leaning his body back only to shove forwards again, the movement almost making them both yell.

The pace continued to build, sweat beginning to chase itself in droplets across both their bodies, and he followed one bead with his tongue, teasingly outlining her breast as he continued his movement towards her core. The pleasure was incredible, the connection unforeseeable, and Rachel knew if she died the minute they climaxed, she would die the happiest she'd ever been in her life. Eddie was panting into her ear, just as she was into his, and her vision was surrendering to darkness as the permeating realisation they were about to complete the ultimate journey spread through her like wildfire.

'So close, so close' was the thought circling both of their minds as they chased oblivion together, ice and fire and water combining within them, with them, and from the bottom of her stomach to the backs of her knees, Rachel could sense that end coming. Registering Eddie's desperate movement above her, she knew he felt the same, and there was only so long they could both hold out... At last, Rachel felt one final shot of ecstasy flash through her from Eddie and that earth-shattering final moment happened.

Her walls convulsed around him, the final ingredient in his own release, shattering his control, and they both went flying into that edge-of-the-world place you can only reach when you find exactly the right person who can give you exactly what you need, white light filling their eyes, gleaming behind their eyelids, as they both collapsed, spent but euphoric, on the sofa. Rachel felt incredibly dizzy, her breathing so uneven she couldn't possibly be providing enough oxygen to the rest of her body, but she didn't care because that... that... was everything they could be.

Slowly, they both recovered enough to slow their wild heartbeats, and Rachel shifted to one side so Eddie could lay beside her, reluctantly registering the loss of him as he slid from inside her. One of his arms snuck underneath her, scooping her up into his embrace because even now, he wanted to protect her, make sure she was perfectly content and Rachel wished she could find the words to assure him she was so much more than that.

Drifting down from their high, they both huddled closer to the other, a slow dreamy smile over-taking their expressions. Happy, Rachel nuzzled her cheek against his chest and gently reached out, across his body, tracing random patterns across the warm skin. For some reason, Rachel found it incredibly relaxing, though she suspected by the way Eddie twitched underneath her touch it was slightly more ticklish than soothing.

"Why don't you get some sleep? I'll be here when you wake up." He murmured, into her hair, and she smiled, knowing that was his way of assuring her this was not just something that had happened, but something that would be built on, something that would lead on. She brushed a light kiss to his upper chest before settling against him and closing her eyes, surrendering all of the problems and nightmares she might have carried, had she been on her own, to the man who had made love to her like no one else ever could.

As her consciousness drifted into a sleepy daze, she was aware of his hand beginning to glide up and down her back, gently guiding her off to the sleeping meadows. The whole evening had been about him letting her feel safe and secure again, but it was so much more than that. They finally crossed that line, and never again would Rachel have to dance between what was appropriate or not, confine herself to thoughts when she could express her feelings.

He lets her feel anything and everything. He makes her feel a lot more than that. And, just as she's about to fall away into the darkness of dreams and restoring sleep, she comes to the conclusion that she finally has allowed someone in. She truly is his to hold, to look after. To love.


End file.
